You mean the world to me
by youweremybestfriend
Summary: "What are you doing here?" "I'm here because of you, actually." He says. He has the same goofy smile as Stefan. Except there's something different about it. It's brighter.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Posted this on Tumblr almost a year ago and I finally decided to post it here because I finished the third chapter (one year later wtf) Might have the second one up by the end of the night.**

He's halfway through having his brains fried when it all happens. He's too unconscious to really see anything.

But Damon, Elena, and Bonnie tell him all about it when he wakes up in his own bed 10 hours later.

About how they raided the travelers camp and killed them all. How, for once, their plan actually worked.

Things worked out.

He likes the sound of that. But there's something else. He can hear it in their voices. A newfound sadness. He doesn't know what it is.

Until he realizes there's a bubbling blonde missing from the equation, "Caroline?"

* * *

"She's still in Atlanta," Bonnie says, he can sense the tension in her voice.

"Why?"

"She said she wanted to stay there for a while," Elena replies this time. Bonnie looks at her incredulously, before storming out and slamming the door behind her.

"What's going on?" Stefan can feel his heart racing.

"Nothing," Damon says. Too fast.

"Spit it out."

"Well, the thing is," Elena pauses, unsure of how to put it. "She isn't really speaking to any of us."

"Why not?"

"She thinks we were being stupid when we rescued you. She thinks it was too dangerous and we all just did it anyway."

She places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Stefan. She'll get over it. She said to call her when you came to."

As if on queue, his phone started ringing. Sure enough, her bright smile is flashing on his screen as he swipes to accept the call.

"Stefan?" She sounds terrified.

"Hey." He can hear her sigh in relief the second she hears his voice.

"Hey." There's still something about her voice. Lingering, just hanging there, unspoken. It's different. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He pauses. "What about you?"

"I am in desperate need of some shots." She laughs, and he can somehow feel the depth of it. The warmth radiating through his phone.

"Is Tom…"

"Dead?" She cuts him off. "No. I compelled him to leave Atlanta. Enzo was two seconds away from ripping off his head when Elena called."

"At least one good thing came out of this mess." He wonders if she can tell he's grinning like an idiot.

"Yeah."

"So. When are you coming home?"

"I'm not sure, Stefan."

"Why not?"

"Damon, Elena, and Bonnie killed dozens of people to save you today. They got into a fight with an extremely powerful army of supernatural whatever's. They went in blind."

"Caroline-"

"You could've died Stefan." She's crying. He can hear the muffled sobs behind her words. "… Or Elena… Or Bonnie. Or even Damon."

"We didn't." He's practically begging her now.

"But you could have, and that's life. Trust me, I get. But I can't just stand idly by as we fight day after day just waiting for that other shoe to drop."

"Fine." He says, finally surrendering. It brings a bittersweet smile to her face.

"Good."

"Where should I meet you?" He says after a long pause.

"What?"

"You don't want to be here, I get it. So where are we going?" It annoys her how nonchalantly he says it.

"We are not going anywhere." She says sternly, but he's never been one to back down.

"Okay, then I at least need to say goodbye. Where should I meet you?"

"This is goodbye, Stefan." Her voice breaks at the end.

"You're funny." He's the only one laughing. Maybe that's the point. "Wait for me in Atlanta, we'll spend a few days together and then you can run off to wherever."

"That's not a good idea." She says.

He doesn't back down, spends nearly two hours arguing with her over the phone before she finally surrenders. "Fine, I need to get some things from Mystic Falls. I'll come back."

"Great."

"Only for a day or two."

"I can work with that." She smiles. It's the first time she's smiled all day.

It feels good.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow?" She promises.  
….

She catches a glimpse of him on the train, thinks maybe she's just hallucinating. It's about freaking time she lost her mind. It's not like she didn't see it coming.

But he gets off at the same stop as her, bumping into a young girl on his way out before politely apologizing and heading to grab his luggage.

"Stefan?" He doesn't turn. She sees the name tag on his bag and realizes why.

It's even more surprising.

"Tom?" Her voice is shaky.

His head turns automatically, eyes finding hers somehow in the sea of people. "Caroline?"

"How do you remember me?"

"What do you mean?" He sounds completely lost, taking a step closer with each word. "We met yesterday, at the coffee shop. We spoke for hours. What are you doing here?"

"Yeah but then I compel-" dammit Enzo. She forgot to compel him to forgot he met her. "Sorry, I'm actually from here. Although right now I'm just visiting a friend."

"What about you?" She asks fluorescent smile spread across her face. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because of you, actually." He says. He has the same goofy smile as Stefan. Except there's something different about it. It's brighter.

Maybe because he's human.

Maybe because he isn't in love with Elena Gilbert.

"A friend of mine told me about this place a while back. My ancestors are actually from here."

"What does that have to do with me?" It might've come out a bit more harsh than intended.

"Well, last time we talked, you suggested I start over somewhere new. I figured there's no place better than some off the map town with alleged supernatural life."

"Wow, you really did your research, huh?" She smiles, laughing. It might be the most enchanting thing he's ever seen.

"I like to be prepared."

"Well, a word of unchartered advice; this town is bad news, Tom." Maybe she should just compel him.

"So you're definitely not a fan of tourists?" He laughs and she can't help but do the same.

"I'm not kidding." She says, but it isn't exactly easy for her to stay stern. Especially when he's directing that smile at her.

"It's okay." He assures her. "I can take care of myself. Besides, how bad can it be if you're from here?"

Her cheeks turn pink and she's not even embarrassed. "So, uh… Where are you staying?"

"I don't know." He says, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips at the sight of her blushing him. For him, because of him. "A motel maybe."

It's impulsive. And stupid, and she barely knows him. But she pulls a scrap of paper out of her bag and scribbles something down before handing it to him.

"This is my number." She says, handing him the scrap. "Call me if you don't find a place?"

"Yeah, sure." He says, smiling again. "Thanks, Caroline."

"No problem. Just let me know."

"Bye."

"Bye, Tom." She gives a small wave before heading off.  
….

Of course, he's the first person she calls.

"Where are you?"

"Well, hello to you too." She says playfully into the phone. She can hear his exasperated sigh. It makes her laugh.

"I'm sorry." He says, still sounding different. "You were supposed to be here hours ago. Where are you?"

"I got sidetracked. I'm at my house."

"I'll be there in 10 minutes."

"Stefan, wait." She says, pausing.

"What's wrong?"

"I think we might have a problem."  
….

He shows up at her door the way he always does. Broody eyes, white t-shirt, looking like his pet just died. She doesn't say anything about the glimmer in his eyes when they land on her.

She doesn't notice it either.

"Hey." He says softly when she opens the door.

The first thing she does is pull him in for a hug. It feels good to be next to him. To feel his heart beating; safe and alive. "Hey."

"Come on in."

He doesn't say anything, only gives her small nod taking a seat on the sofa. She's gotten way to used to him sitting there. The way he sits back automatically, resting his arms down beside him whenever he huffs in frustration. Anger. Surprise. She's gotten way to used to him sitting on that couch.

She pours him a drink, not sure which one of their problems she wants to talk about first.

"How are you?" He asks genuinely.

Small talk it is.

She hands him a drink before sitting in her mom's chair opposite to him. "Okay, I guess. All things considered."

"Good… That's, uh. Good."

"Okay…" She says playfully, flashing him her smile before deciding they should actually talk.

"How was Atlanta?"

"Different." She says. "Speaking of, we should probably decide what we're going to do about your dopppel-twin…"

"Tom?"

"Yeah." She says, thoughts seemingly elsewhere. Particularly on said doppel-twin. "He's here."

"What do you mean here? Here as in Mystic Falls?" He leans forward, placing his half-empty glass on the coffee table.

"Yes 'here' as in Mystic Falls, Virginia. I saw him at the station this morning, and judging by what he said, I think he plans on staying here for a while." She slumps back in her chair.

"Wait you spoke to him?" He asks, more bent up about than he should be.

"What?" She's as confused as he is. "That's not the point. The point is I saw him at the station. He's here to stay. That can't be good. Not when there's an entire army of supernatural psychopaths inhabiting the bodies of people in Mystic Falls. As soon as the travelers find out who he is, they're going to kill him."

"We'll compel him to leave."

She doesn't really want to. Maybe it's because she's just extremely exhausted or because she's a little drunk, but compulsion doesn't seem like the right thing. Of course, she doesn't say that.

And of course, she doesn't have to. "You don't want to compel him?" He can read her like an open book.

"I know it's for his own good and yesterday I was one-hundred percent okay with it, but today… All I know is that I hated being compelled. No one deserves that."

"Okay." He nods quietly, staring into his glass and contemplating what to do. "Do you know where he is?"

"He's looking for a place to stay." She bites her lip.

"Caroline." He raises his eyebrows.

"I told him he could crash here if he didn't find a place." She can see his mood change instantly: broodier somehow. As if that's even possible, he's probably just over analyzing it.

"Why'd you do that?" He asks frustrated.

"Because I figured if he's going to be here he'll be safer with one of us watching over him." She says, raising her eyebrows. "Why does this bother you so much?"

She can't believe she actually said it aloud. He can't believe she had to. What is he doing?

"I'm sorry." He says sincerely, eyes meeting her own. "It's just… It's not safe, okay? The travelers don't care about collateral damage. If they find out that you know where Tom is, they will stop at nothing to get it out of you."

A warm smile covers her face. He loves that smile. Her trademark 'Caroline Forbes optimist since forever' smile. It's his favorite one. "Thank you." She says softly. "For worrying about me. But I can handle myself, Stefan."

"I know." He says instantly. Who would ever hesitate to believe that? She's Caroline freaking Forbes. "I just don't want you getting hurt because of me."

"If they do ever hurt me, it won't be because of you, Stefan." She assures him. "None of this is your fault. I'll be okay, I promise."

How is he supposed to argue with her? That's the moment he realizes that he doesn't deserve her as the best friend. She deserves friends who will stand by her side no matter what and will never leave her. Friends who orbit her like planets around the sun.

She deserves better than a hundred and something-year-old best friend that is literally the cause of everything she's lost. He doesn't deserve the best friend like her.

"I don't doubt that." He says. Somehow she always bounces back. "But still, I don't want to risk it. He can stay at the boarding house."

"What? No, Stefan." She says, surprised. "It's okay. You don't have to do that."

"I want to." He assures her.

"What if he asks why some stranger that looks exactly like him is letting him live in his house, no questions asked?"

"He won't." He says. She wants to burst out laughing at how calm he's gone.

"How?"

"I'll compel him." He says it cautiously, watching her shake her head in disagreement even as he's saying it.

"We can-"

"I know, I know." He says. "And I don't really want to but it'll just be so that he doesn't freak out. That's it. I promise."

"Fine." She nods her head slowly, her blonde curls falling off her shoulders. "How do we find him?"

"We don't."

"Great." She deadpans." So you've got this big master plan but no idea whatsoever how we're even going to track him down. That's just-"

"Caroline." He interrupts.

"What?!"

She follows his eyes to her phone vibrating on the table. She picks it up cautiously. "Hello?"

"Caroline? It's Tom. I was just wondering if your offer still stands. I just need a place to stay for a couple of days."

"Tom, hey." She says, finally getting a chance to talk. "Is there somewhere you can meet me?"

"Yeah, I'm actually at a restaurant right now. Or is it a bar. I'm not really sure."

"The grill?" She laughs.

"Yeah."

"Sure, I'll see you in ten minutes." She puts down the phone before he gets a chance to reply, a small smile playing at her lips.

Stefan notices it. He really doesn't want to.

"Let's go." She says, standing up and grabbing her coat. She stops just before walking out the door. "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive."  
…..

It takes two minutes for them to 'take care' of the 'situation'. Two seemingly endless minutes where everything is a blur.

She meets Tom outside the grill. Asks him if he needs a ride. They drive to the boarding house where Stefan is waiting at the front door.

Tom looks like he's going to have a heart attack, his face looking deathly pale and his hands clasped together the second he sees his doppelganger.

He turns to Caroline for answers but she just whispers an "I'm sorry" before Stefan compels him.

"We look exactly the same, but it's okay. You don't need to freak out."

Tom nods' robotically. "I don't need to freak out."

"Stefan's going to let you stay here." Caroline says, smiling at him.

"That's really nice of you, man," Tom says, looking at Stefan. "It'll just be for a few days."

"No problem," Stefan assures him. "Although I'd watch out for Damon."

"Damon?"

"He's an asshole." Caroline interrupts.

"And my brother."

"And that." She says incredulously. "Although he's so obsessed with Elena right now, I doubt he'd care much about any of this."

She watches Stefan's eyes fall to the ground. "I'm sorry." She says quickly, realizing what she said. Of course, he still cares about her. It doesn't take a couple of months to get over Elena Gilbert.

"It's okay." He says. It sounds like a lie. "She's right. Damon is bad news. I'd suggest you steer clear."

"Thanks," Tom says, nodding. The resemblance is really uncanny. It scares her how similar they actually look. "And thanks for letting me stay here."

"No problem."

She decides that it's probably best for her to leave then so she says a quick goodbye before scurrying off to her car and driving into the night, while four identical eyes follow her to the end of the road.  
….

She goes back to the boarding house around 7 am the next morning, after taking a warm shower and changing into a dress and a pair of ballerina flats. She checks her phone for any messages during the ten-minute drive to the mansion.

There's one from Bonnie. Caroline, please can you call me… I just need to know your okay.

Great.

She hadn't really told any of them that she was back yet, what with the total of five minutes she's had to herself. Besides, she wasn't yet ready to see them. She gets why she shouldn't be mad. They were trying to save Stefan. They did save Stefan. She just can't seem to shake this feeling that something horrible could've happened.  
….

She decides to have breakfast with them, although she's not sure if coffee is strong enough. She can't even remember when was the last time she had blood.

Obviously, Stefan being Stefan, knows this already and hands her a cup of B positive. She gives him a smile, her eyes falling to his lips and lingering too long. Not that any amount of time wouldn't be long.

Before she hasn't a chance to awkwardly look away, Tom interrupts. "So how long have you guys been together?" She nearly chokes on the warm blood and Stefan drops his mug before quickly bending to pick up the pieces.

"We're not." Caroline says quickly, scouring her brain for anything to change the topic with. "Just friends."

"Ah, I see," Tom says nodding.

"See what?" Stefan asks, clearing his throat.

"Nothing."

There's this really long, earth shattering silence as if one of them had just yelled out they were a serial killer. Toms gaze is shifting between the two of them while both of theirs are on the ground.

"Okay," Caroline says suddenly. "Well, I was thinking we could show you around. Give you a tour. Mystic Falls is a very distinguished town, you know."

They both laugh. Two identical, green eyed, bushy browned laughs that sound exactly the same and completely different all at the same time.

"Well I actually have to go see Damon and Elena about a 'problem' but we could go as soon as I'm done," Stefan says, and by problem, he means supernatural psychopaths on a suicide mission to kill one doppelganger.

"Well, why don't Caroline and I go and you can just meet up with us when you're done?" Tom asks, earning him a slight scowl from Stefan.

"That's great." Caroline smiles. "That way we don't have to hear any boring stories about how this town looked a hundred years ago."  
….

He sees the ticket in her bag while Toms in the restroom. "What's it for?" He asks inquisitively, even though he can see it clear enough.

"Atlanta."

"You're still going?" He sounds betrayed, it's how he feels.

"I thought I'd go there this weekend." She sees his smile fade altogether. "I left some stuff there in my hotel I was thinking I should get it and maybe put off going for a while. At least until the travelers are gone for good."

"I'm glad." He says, sitting down on the couch beside her. "I'd hate to have to find a new best friend."

"I'd hate to have to put anyone else through this torture." She teases. It earns her a glimpse of that bright smile. The one she's starting to think he keeps just for her.

"You ready to go?" Tom asks, coming out from the hallway.

"Yeah." She stands up and Stefan follows shit. She gives him a quick hug before grabbing her bag. "See you later?"

"Yeah." He smiles but it's not real. At least not the part where he sends his best friend off with . Even though said stranger is human and Caroline is more than capable of taking care of herself, it doesn't feel right.

Of course, he doesn't say that.

He nods and sends them on their way as he dials Damon.

There's a ball at Whitmore. If it were any other day, she'd be there as soon as she could. Heck, she'd probably organize the entire thing. Today, though, she wasn't ready for any of it.

She still hadn't seen Bonnie or Elena although Stefan had let it slip that she was back in town to them. They'd tried calling her a couple of times but she wasn't in the mood to explain herself.

Nonetheless, she'd somehow let the two look-alikes persuade her into going.

"I need a date for tonight." She sighs out loud, a perfect display of her current existential crisis.

It's almost hilarious how fast both of their heads bounce up instantly. Like a pair of lovesick puppies. But she's not paying attention, instead, her eyes are on today's crossword puzzle in the paper.

The two brunettes meet eyes across the room and stare awkwardly at each other, forming a silent pact. 'We'll never speak of this again' it says.

The remainder of the afternoon is spent is complete silence except for a rare cheer on Caroline's behalf for her incredible crossword-ing skills.  
….

They manage to agree on going as a trio. More for Toms safety than anything else really…. Really.

So here she was, two hours later, standing in front of Stefan's mirror pulling at the hem of her ankle length black dress and waiting for the two of them. Because apparently, they take longer getting ready than she does.

"Hey." She says when he finally walks out of the bathroom, eyes focused on fixing his tie until he hears her voice.

Wow. "Hey..uh..wow, um, you look amazing." He says awkwardly. What the hell was that?

"Thanks." She says, blushing. "Although I would much rather prefer staying in all night and watching juicy reality tv."

"You really don't have to come if you don't want to." He says automatically. "I'm sure Damon and I can take care of the travelers ourselves. Besides, we have Tom as a backup."

"Yeah, I wouldn't be too happy about that." Both their heads turn to the voice coming from the door. "I mean I used to be a paramedic and a not so great one at that so I'm just not really sure how I can help."

"You don't need to." Caroline smiles. "You're just the bait."

"That's reassuring." Tom sighs.

"You'll be okay." She reassures him. "We've got your back."

Her gaze lingers a little too long, but so does his. "I'll go start the car," Stefan says suddenly, eyes on the ground as he walks out of the room.

"You ready?" She asks Tom, grabbing her purse from the bed.

"As I'll ever be." He says sheepishly, taking her hand. "You look amazing, by the way."  
….

"Dance with me?" They both say at the exact same time, and her eyes bounce back and forth between his eyes before finally falling to her vibrating phone.

"Sloan is here." She says cautiously, scanning the ballroom.

Stefan nods, grabbing the duffel bag he'd carefully hidden underneath the bar.

"I'm coming with." She says sternly. It definitely doesn't sound like a question.

"Stay here please." He says in a hurry, gesturing across the room, for Tom. He's there in ten seconds. "Stay with her."

He waits until Stefan's gone and she's given up before he asks. "Would you like to dance with me?"

She nods politely, taking his hand.

"Is he always like this around her?" Tom asks a semi-drunk Bonnie as the two stand by the bar watching Stefan and Caroline sway to the music. Stefan's got a scar on his forehead as a result of the fail of a mission that tonight was.

"Like what?" She asks.

"Jealous? Over protective ?"

"He's not jealous." She replies with a reassuring smile. "He's just protective of her. Always has been."

"Why?" He's very curious.

"They're best friends."

"And.." He hints.

"And nothing." She reassures him. He doesn't really seem convinced.

The next day is long and it's nearly seven before she even gets a text from Stefan.

 _Sorry it took so long. I'll tell you about it when I get there._

She spent all day out with Tom.

She puts her phone away turning back to face Tom. They're talking about traveling. Seeing the world and falling in love with it. "You're really different from everyone I've ever met." He says after a long pause.

"That I am." She says somewhat bitterly.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Maybe it is." She says. She's not sure how exactly it happens. Somewhere between what's the best thing to eat at the grill and what she wants to be someday. They've been talking all day and he's been looking at her that way all day.

She's not sure how it happens, but it's around her fifth martini when he leans in and crashes his lips onto hers. She's not sure why she lets him, but she does. And she enjoys it. More than she's willing to admit.

But still, she's half drunk and he doesn't even know what she actually is. So she pulls away.

He's walking around aimlessly, brooding yet again as he makes his way to the grill to meet up with them. Today was not a good day. The exact opposite actually.

However, it's nothing five minutes with a perky blonde can't fix.

He's about to walk into the grill when he sees it. The kiss. His best friend and his freaking doppelganger. The small smile on Toms face and the one that gently graces her face.

He shouldn't care. It shouldn't matter. It shouldn't hurt. He leaves before either of them notice he's there.


	2. Chapter 2

She brings home a fully drunk tom less than an hour later.

"Im sorry about tonight." He says, walking into the house.

"That was out of line and I shouldn't have done it."

"It's okay." She assures him. "I shouldn't have let you."

"Is it because of Stefan?"

"What? No." She says instinctively. "Stefan and I are strictly friends. I mean there may have been a time, years ago, when i thought I thought we'd be something more, but I turned out to be wrong. And I'm glad I was."

"Too bad." He scoffs.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I mean all those lingering stares have got to mean something right?"

"What stares?" He means her right. Oh god, does Stefan notice them too? It doesn't matter. It doesn't mean anything.

Neither of them say anything after that.

….

She's back at the boarding house bright and early the next morning ready to have two very deep and meaningful conversations with the two of them. Okay, maybe not that deep, but definitely meaningful- _ish_.

She needs to talk to Stefan about what the next step is with the travelers and why the hell he didn't show up yesterday at the grill? He'd said he would and then..

And then tom had kissed her and that's what _they_ needed to talk about.

For some odd reason that she's not really sure of, she doesn't want Stefan to know about the kiss.

But she gets to the house and he's the only one there. "Hey." He says as soon as he sees her.

"Hi." She smiles, unsure. "Where's Tom?" She sounds way too impatient.

"He went out for a run." He raises his eyebrows when she seems disappointed. "Is something going on between the two of you?"

"What? No." She shakes her head like its about to fall of. "Why would you even ask that?"

He's not sure what to say. He knows what he should say; _Because I thought you should know that it's okay if there is._ But he can't really say that and he's not sure why. Instead he goes for. "I saw you guys… Last night."

She's taken aback by this. He was there last night. "Why didn't you come in?" It's a stupid question.

"I didn't want to interrupt whatever was going on between you." It sounds much more harsh than he'd meant it to be. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"It's okay." She says immediately. "Besides, nothing really happened."

"I saw the kiss, Caroline." It's the way he says her name. Like he's accusing her of doing something horrible without actually saying anything out loud. If it were anyone else they wouldn't have heard it. But she's his best friend, so obviously she did.

She doesn't say anything.

"Tom was drunk." She says after a pause. "It was a misunderstanding."

"Are you sure?" He asks. _What is he doing?_ He surprises himself by saying it. "Because it's okay if there is."

"Huh?"

"I mean, if there is…I'm happy for you." He says, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. She hadn't even realized he was holding it. "Just be careful."

"Aw, look at you worrying about me." She mocks him. "But you don't need to." She say just to let him know she's sure. "There's nothing going on between me and Tom. Besides, even if there was I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have to be that cautious with him."

"Just be careful, okay." He says, seemingly agitated.

"What's going on,Stefan?"

"Do you believe in coincidences?" He says, eyes meeting hers as her smile warms his heart.

"Not really." She's so sure of her answer. It's reassuring. "I think everything happens for a reason and whether it's good or bad, nothing's just a fluke."

He takes a deep breath.

"Stefan.. Is this about Tom?"

"I'm sorry." He says. "It's just strange. He shows up right when we're in the middle of this whole doppleganger situation and I can't help but think this too big of a coincidence."

"Stefan he's not here to hurt anybody, the guy looks like he couldn't hurt a fly." She promises with a reassuring smile. "Even if you don't trust him or you don't want to… Trust me. I trust him and if you just trust me about him that's enough. I promise you he won't turn out to be a psychopath that's been alive for a thousand years."

"Be careful what you're promising." He smiles, lightening up instantly. "I mean this _is_ Mystic Falls after all."

Her smile lights up the entire room.

"And I do." He tells her as they're getting ready to leave the house.

"What?"

"I trust you."  
…..

"Oh come on." Tom laughs, tossing one of the couch pillows at her from the room before she skillfully ducks and catches it in her hand. "Is there like some secret tell or something?"

"I'm not kidding." She smiles, flinging it back at him. "I don't know how I know… I just do, okay?"

"I don't believe you." He says. They sound like kids. Arguing over pointless things that don't even matter. And yet, of all the conversations she's had in the past 4 years this is the most normal of them all.

He tries to throw it at her again but she catches it before it even comes close. "Fine." She pretends to snap at him. "But only if you stop throwing this at me."

"Deal." He sounds too eager.

She should never have let him rope her into this. It's a pointless question anyway. _How does she know the difference between him and Stefan?_

What would the point of that even be?

"This is the part where you talk." He urges her mockingly.

"Well, I guess it would have to be your eyes." She says. It's sounds so cheesy..and un-platonic. "I know you think you guys have the same eyes, and they are. Almost identical."

The keyword there being almost.

"So what is it about our eyes that make us so different?" He says, batting his eyelashes like a teenage girl. "Are mine really that dreamy?"

"I don't remember you being this cocky." She deadpans.

"That wasn't exactly a no." He says earning a pillow straight in his face. He almost falls down. "Haha.. So what is it?"

"I don't know." She says, completely lost in thought. "I guess I can tell because when I look at either of you, your eyes sell you out. I can tell. You look happy. Genuinely happy. Stefan looks likes he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He looks like he's been through so much and he's been hurt so many times, and you can see it his eyes. I wish I could take it away."

He pauses, taking a deep breath. "You know, if I didn't know any better I might've thought you-"

"Stop." She pleas. "There's nothing to think. Nothing's going on, nothing ever will. Just stop, okay?"

They hear the car pull up outside before he gets a chance to say anything. Neither of them move. "Hey." Stefan says, walking in with a bag of groceries.

"Let me help with you that." Tom responds first, getting up off the couch as Caroline's eyes still follow him across the room.

He doesn't bring it up again.

….

Shes decided to ignore her phone even though it's been ringing off the hook for about five minutes. That's really nothing. If Bonnie and Elena want to talk to her they should at least have the guts to do it person.

She's about to decline the call when she freezes. She'd forgot what they were even fighting about. She tries to do a mental rewind type thing but she still comes up blank.

So she throws all caution to whatever aside and picks up the phone. "Hey." She says.

"Hey."

"Stefan?" She takes a quick glance at her phone. So she's been ignoring Stefan all this time? Great.

She remembers then. Remembers what her and the two people she's loved since she was in second grade are fighting about; Stefan.

He could've died…. Any of them could've died. They didn't, and she's so thankful for that. But that's not the point.

"Caroline?"

"Yeah, I'm here." She says quickly. "Sorry, I got kind of distracted."

"What's on your mind?" She loves him for that. Not love, love but 'he's my best friend and I don't know where I'd be without him' love. She loves him for asking her that.

"Just thinking about me, Bonnie, and Elena." She says softly.

"Is everything okay?" He asks, tapping his fingers on the desk. When she doesn't answer, he continues. "I thought you guys worked things out at the ball."

"Well we didn't really talk at the ball… Unless you count small talk and letting Elena babble on about Damon." She smiles. "But I'm pretty sure you didn't call to talk about girl drama, so what's going on?"

"Nothing." He says with a grin. "I just feel like we haven't talked in a really long time."

"We literally spoke like five hours ago." She teases.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah." Her breath hitches in her throat and suddenly she's not sure what she's supposed to say. What would be the right response to that?

"Well, you're probably busy. I'll see you tomorrow?

He comes this close to hanging up. "Stefan." She pauses. "I'm starving. Do you want to maybe got the grill and listen to me whine about Bonnie and Elena."

She thinks it sounds out of line and she's completely ready to take it back when he says "See you there."

….

She has no idea what time it is. Or how many drinks they've had, or if she's even still conscious but the music is blaring and she can't stop now.

After dinner, they'd seen a flyer for this 'kickass' party nearby, and well, Stefan Salvatore had never been able to say no to a party. Or more likely to Caroline Forbes.

And of course he spent the entire night brooding by the bar as she'd swallowed down drink after drink, lime after lime–possibly deafened by the music.

"Hey, we should get going." He says, grabbing her hand and skillfully pulling her out of the enormous crowd.

"Why?" She groans. Her breath smells like tequila. She normal hates tequila but tonight she'd been on a roll. And also, why was he standing so close he could smell her breath?

He took a step back before she noticed. "Are you allergic to fun, Stefan?" She mocks him.

"Caroline, come on. Let's get out of here."

"Fine. Fine. Fine. Fine." She nods, gesturing for him to leave her alone.

He doesn't let go of her until they're inside the car. It's to prevent her from getting hit by one and then eating the driver. It is. That's all.

….

"You know," she drunkenly says in a matter of fact kind of way. "We should go out more."

"Yeah, we should." He nods, helping her onto the bed in his guest room.

"I'm not kidding." She groans, rapping her fists against his chest. She sees the way he's looking at her. "What?"

"Nothing."

"You're a horrible liar." She pouts, falling onto the bed.

"Get some rest, Caroline."

Her eyelids shut before he ever hears a response.

….

She opens her eyes to sunlight creeping in the through the small cracks of the curtain and a pounding headache.

It hurts to sit up. It hurts to move. But she does it anyway, because she is in desperate need of a fresh cup of coffee.

The house is empty. She'd expected to find Stefan and Tom in the kitchen being completely silent and subtle about how they have nothing in common. Nothing besides her. They're both her friends, and she doesn't really think either of them would've agreed to this if it weren't for her. (because of her.)

She's grabbing a mug from the cabinet when she her phone starts buzzing. It sounds like a freaking siren.

She picks it up with pure frustration. "What?!"

"Blondie, have you seen Stefan today?" Damon. Great, just what she needed right now.

"I just woke up, Damon." She says harshly before taking a deep breath. She hears an exasperated sigh on his end.

"But no, he's not home. Why?"

"I think the travelers have him."

….

"You can't." She states matter-of-factly, rummaging through Stefan's drawers.

"I could be the bait or something…" He argues. "I've gotten so good at it." He lets out a light laugh but she doesn't even look up. "Caroline, what are you looking for?"

"Stakes."

"Stakes?" He repeats and she just nods. "What are you going to do with them? Can you please give me and answer that's more than two syllables long?"

"Kill them all."

"I know I'm new to this stuff but I'm pretty sure you can't take on an entire traveler campsite on your own." You can't blame a guy for trying.

"Damon will be there. Bonnie too." She says pulling out a black duffel bag. "She knows what to do. We all do."

"Let me help." He's so close to begging. "Please."

"You can't!" It comes out too loud, too harsh, too not meant for Tom. Because this is the reason she'd left. This exact reason. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell."

"Let me come with." He whispers, taking a few steps closer and taking her hand in his. "Otherwise it'll only hurt you when I come anyway."

"You can't come, Tom." The desperation in her voice scares him. The way her eyes refuse to meet his. It's terrifying.

"I'm not asking permission."

She bites her lip and forces herself to meet his eyes. They're so green, and they're staring straight into hers and he's not wearing a bracelet and he hasn't had coffee in days. "You can't come, Tom. It's not safe for you. And I don't want you there."

"I can't come." He repeats, his head hanging slightly. "I'm sorry, Caroline, but it won't be safe for me."

She nods and shuts the door behind her. The second it shuts she falls apart.

….

"Are you okay?" Stefan asks, walking her up to her front door.

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, that's why you didn't say a single word the entire car ride." That earns him a frustrated look from her. "Are you okay, Caroline?"

"You shouldn't be the one asking, you know." She says stopping before the first porch step. "I'm not the one who just spent a day being tortured and held against my will."

He shrugs. "I've been through worse. Besides I'm kind of immune to the whole tortured by supernatural beings thing."

"And of all your many traits, you choose to brag about _that_?" He lets out a laugh and she smiles in return before taking a deep breath.

"What's going on with you?"

"I compelled Tom." She whispers, too afraid to admit it loud enough. Too afraid of what he'll think of her. "It was something small and to protect him but I did it anyway. I did the one thing I said I'd never do. And to Tom, of all people!"

"It'a okay, Caroline." He says, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. She smells like lavenders today.

"No it's not." She says, completely falling apart in his arms. But it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. "What do I do? I can't even look him in the eye."

"Tell him."

"What?" She pulls back, eyes wide and jaw almost on the ground.

"Tell him that you did it. He'll forgive you. No one can resist Caroline Forbes. Trust me." There's something there in his eyes, something she's seen a couple of times in the last few weeks. It's something else. It's more than I'm your best friend but it's right down underneath it as well. She doesn't say anything.

….

"You play ski ball?" Ski ball? Of course that's what's on his mind right now. Of course it's not Caroline compelled me and now I hate her.

"Yeah… Tom can we talk-"

"I'm feeling like a night of fun after all this drama.. Let's go to the arcade tonight." He suggests, eyes lighting up at her little smile.

"I'll tell Stefan." She sighs. "But I really need to-"

"Not Stefan." He objects immediately. "Just the two of us."

"Oh.. Uh… Like a, um, like a date?" She asks, cheeks turning pink.

"Yeah like a date." He takes a step closer and grabs her hand. It makes it even harder because that's exactly what he did two nights ago. Right before she compelled him.

"Tom, I need to tell you something first."

"Is that a yes or no?" He chuckles. He stops when he sees the look on her face. She looks terrified. "What's wrong?"

"The other night… When the travelers had Stefan" There's no way to sugarcoat it now. "I didn't want you to get hurt so I compelled you not to come."

"Compelled?"

"When you become a vampire, you gain all of the traits. Some are beneficial and others are down right monstrous."

"What are you saying?" He inches back.

"We have the ability to make humans do anything we want." She takes a deep breath. "It's kind of like mind control. Except it's worse because we're vampires."

"So you used your mind control on me?" He sounds disgusted and his eyes won't even meet hers.

"I'm so sorry, Tom. I hate that I did this and I'll take it back if you want. I'm so so sorry I swear." She takes his other hand into her own. "Please say something."

"I think I need some air."


End file.
